MAIRE: A technology and engineering partner for decarbonisation

As the energy transformation industry works to meet its decarbonisation goals, it needs trusted technological partners when it chooses the best technological solutions to achieve net zero emission goals.

To serve the market in this energy evolution scenario, MAIRE has developed a synergic approach among its two Business Units: namely, Integrated E&C Solutions, which is led by TECNIMONT and leverages the Group’s unparalleled engineering capabilities and historical track-record, and Sustainable Technology Solutions, headed by NEXTCHEM, with its broad portfolio of technologies ranging from low-carbon energy vectors for new mobility, to sustainable fertilizers to circular solutions technologies.

In particular, Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) has been proving globally as a key technology to reduce the environmental impact of emissions from hard- to-abate industrial activities. This solution is showing very strong investment trends globally, as it is acknowledged as one of the most mature technologies to support a much-needed energy transition that must gradually change the energy paradigm worldwide to sustain future economic development.

That’s why international organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), give CCUS a key role as part of a sound and credible medium- and long-term decarbonisation strategy, and the European Union itself has set a goal to equip member states with a CO 2 storage capacity of at least 50 million tons per year by 2030.

According to the IEA, there are about 45 facilities globally currently using CCUS for industrial processes, fuel transformation, and power generation, while over 700 projects are at different stages of development around the world.

In this scenario, NEXTCHEM is currently implementing an innovative and integrated process design for the hydrogen and carbon dioxide capture unit of ADNOC’s Hail and Ghasha gas development project. This is one of the most strategic initiatives globally to decarbonize the energy processing industry, as the project aims at operating with net zero CO2 emissions.

NEXTCHEM’s contribution to the Hail and Ghasha is part of a package awarded to TECNIMONT in October 2023 for an overall value of $8.7 billion, demonstrating the strength of MAIRE’s integrated approach as its two business units work synergically to support clients in achieving their decarbonisation goals.

Closer to home, NEXTCHEM has contributed to the implementation of the first plant in Europe to use CCS technology, which started operation at a natural gas treatment complex in September. The facility is designed to separate, purify and compress an estimated volume of carbon emissions of approximately 25,000 tons per year. NEXTCHEM developed its own innovative process design to effectively enabling CO 2 capture from emissions gasses with high efficiency and low power consumption even at extremely low concentrations.

MAIRE’s know-how in carbon capture is strategic for other hard- to-abate industries. Decarbonizing steel manufacturing, in fact, primarily relies on hydrogen-based production techniques, or the implementation of carbon capture technologies. Similarly, in the chemical industry, carbon capture remains a critical strategy for reducing carbon emissions.

NEXTCHEM’s extensive technological know-how also includes solutions to produce synthetic fuels, in particular is worth mentioning its proprietary NX SAF and NX CPO technologies. The latter is an advanced innovative process to produce synthesis gas via a controlled partial oxidation. When applied to synthetic fuel production, this versatile technology is able to boost carbon efficiency and global yield of the overall process.

Among the fuels landscape, low- carbon ammonia could play a strategic role in decarbonizing the maritime industry, as it can be used as low carbon fuel. It also has several additional energy applications. In this respect, MAIRE has announced over the summer that it broke ground on construction of a low carbon ammonia plant in the Ruwais region near Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The plant will produce 50% lower-carbon intensity ammonia compared to conventional ammonia. In the second stage, the plant will further reduce its carbon intensity via capturing and sequestrating carbon dioxide emissions.

In this ever-evolving energy scenario, MAIRE is continuously expanding its technological portfolio while ensuring impeccable execution in its integrated engineering and construction projects to best serve clients in their decarbonisation path globally.